Thank you for sharing your writing with us. I have been thinking a lot about the hindrances lately. The line from the heart sutra is enticing to me, "with no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance, therefore no fear." No fear sounds lovely.
I am grateful for your words on ill will and for framing it as both aversion and a fear of rejection. That resonates with me and helps frame how, at one time, ill-will could be protective. It has just become unskillful in my life now. That habitual reaction is trying to protect me from being rejected.
This line also struck a chord within, "Whatever we’re unable to make peace with in ourselves is a hindrance in making peace with “the other.”
I have lots of work to do on the hindrances arising within this body. Your essay is a helpful tool. Thank you.
Hi Anthony, thank you for reading and commenting. The habitual reactivity, whether it's people-pleasing or getting angry, shows us where the work is. Studying the hindrances has given me a few more tools for working with agitated energy. Glad that you found my essay helpful. And thanks again for subscribing. Bows + Peace!
In June I'll be attending a weeklong sesshin with three ōryōki meals.
First off, I want to be 100% frank and reveal that I despise the formality of ōryōki but otherwise love sesshins.
That said, my main issue is that, since we're physically pretty inactive during sesshins, rather than 3 meals, I'd prefer to eat only breakfast. Since I'll probably have to at least sit through lunch and dinner anyway, is it deemed kosher to simply turn one's ōryōki bowls upside down to indicate that one wants no food?
Thanks for any advice you can give on this subject.
Hi Adin, thank you for your comment. I'm glad you're able to participate in sesshin. I understand how you feel about the formality of ōryōki and that you'd prefer not to eat lunch and dinner. Since I don't know where you'll be sitting sesshin, I can't speak to whether or not you're allowed to put your bowls upside down. What I'd suggest is practicing with your preferences and just accepting the lunch and dinner meals. You can just ask for a ceremonial amount for each bowl. This way you're at least accepting what's offered and expressing gratitude. It's very helpful to notice our preferences, which are all created by the ego, drop them (the resistance to reality), and participate fully in the entire schedule. I hope this is helpful. Enjoy the sesshin in June. Where is it?
Thank you for sharing your writing with us. I have been thinking a lot about the hindrances lately. The line from the heart sutra is enticing to me, "with no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance, therefore no fear." No fear sounds lovely.
I am grateful for your words on ill will and for framing it as both aversion and a fear of rejection. That resonates with me and helps frame how, at one time, ill-will could be protective. It has just become unskillful in my life now. That habitual reaction is trying to protect me from being rejected.
This line also struck a chord within, "Whatever we’re unable to make peace with in ourselves is a hindrance in making peace with “the other.”
I have lots of work to do on the hindrances arising within this body. Your essay is a helpful tool. Thank you.
Hi Anthony, thank you for reading and commenting. The habitual reactivity, whether it's people-pleasing or getting angry, shows us where the work is. Studying the hindrances has given me a few more tools for working with agitated energy. Glad that you found my essay helpful. And thanks again for subscribing. Bows + Peace!
In June I'll be attending a weeklong sesshin with three ōryōki meals.
First off, I want to be 100% frank and reveal that I despise the formality of ōryōki but otherwise love sesshins.
That said, my main issue is that, since we're physically pretty inactive during sesshins, rather than 3 meals, I'd prefer to eat only breakfast. Since I'll probably have to at least sit through lunch and dinner anyway, is it deemed kosher to simply turn one's ōryōki bowls upside down to indicate that one wants no food?
Thanks for any advice you can give on this subject.
Hi Adin, thank you for your comment. I'm glad you're able to participate in sesshin. I understand how you feel about the formality of ōryōki and that you'd prefer not to eat lunch and dinner. Since I don't know where you'll be sitting sesshin, I can't speak to whether or not you're allowed to put your bowls upside down. What I'd suggest is practicing with your preferences and just accepting the lunch and dinner meals. You can just ask for a ceremonial amount for each bowl. This way you're at least accepting what's offered and expressing gratitude. It's very helpful to notice our preferences, which are all created by the ego, drop them (the resistance to reality), and participate fully in the entire schedule. I hope this is helpful. Enjoy the sesshin in June. Where is it?
It's in Oregon.
Thanks for the advice. Someone else's perspective informed by years of sesshin experience is just what I needed.
I think I'm getting to the bottom of what you mean about "participating fully in the entire schedule" during the upcoming sesshin.
In this TED talk the presenter explains how ritual, i.e. just following the schedule, can lead to weakening the egoistic self:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOJgMK21-tk